Man And Woman Were Trespassing At Dallas VA When Alleged Assault Happened
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A woman and the man she says attempted to rape her were trespassing on the Dallas VA Medical Center's campus when the alleged incident happened, according to Jeffrey Clapper, Public Affairs Officer at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
A release sent to CBS 11 News from the Dallas VA details what happened the night the 20-year-old woman was allegedly attacked.
The suspect, Zachariah Duntay Smith, 24, and the woman exited at the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) station for the Dallas VA in the early-morning hours of March 4.
Neither Smith nor the victim are Veterans or employees of the east Oak Cliff hospital.
They illegally crossed over a fence and came onto the Dallas VA Campus, according to Clapper, gaining entry into a construction staff modular trailer on a remote area of the campus. While there, the woman claims Smith attacked her, according to the release.
She escaped during the alleged assault and ran into a VA Police Officer patrolling the parking lot. He took her to the Dallas VA Emergency Department where she was treated and released.
VA Police were unable to find Smith that evening and details were unclear when the woman initially reported the incident to VA Police, according to the release.
During the initial conversation with VA Police, the woman was not clear if she was only physically attacked or if the suspect was trying to sexually assault her, according to Clapper. After leaving the VA, the woman then went to Parkland Hospital in Dallas and reported the attempted rape there.
Dallas Police investigated and later found Smith.
He was arrested Wednesday, charged with sexual assault and remains in custody at the Dallas County Jail.
Smith's bail is set at $25,000.
He has prior arrests for Theft and Possession of Marijuana.
